Improvement in breech-loading fxbe-abms



5 Sheets-Sheet 1.

S. W. WOOD.

Breech-Loading Fire-Arm.

Patented Apr. I 1862.

5 Sheets-Sheet 2. S. W; WOOD.

Breech-Loading Fire-Arm.

Patented Apr. 1, 1862.

5 Sheets-Sheet 3.

S. W. WOOD.

' Breech-Loading Fire-Arm.

Patented Apr. 1, 1862.

Witnesses: Wf

5 'S heets-Sheet 4. S. W. WOOD.

Breech-Loading Fire-Arm.

Patented Apr. 1, 1862.

Witnenu:

5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

S. W. WOOD.

Breech-Loading Fire-Arm.

Patented Apr. 1, 1862.

STATES PATENT Grrrcn.

s. w. woon, or CORNWALL, NEW YORK.

IMPBQVEMENT IN BREECH-LQADING- FIRE=ARMS Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 34,854, dated April 1, 1862.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, S. W. WOOD, of Cornwall, county of Orange and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Breech-Loadin g Fire-Arms; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, refer ence being bad to the annexed drawings, making part of this specification:

Figure 1 being a view, in perspective, of a breech-loading rifie or musket provided with my improvements, the view representing the hammer down, as at the instant of firing. Fig. 2 is a top view of the same, the gate and hammer being raised, as for the purpose of loading; Fig. 3, a top view thereof, in per spective, showing the gate raised and the hammer at less than half-cock; Fig. 4, a side elevation, corresponding with Fig. 3, except that a portion of the stock is removed to show the construction of the lock; Fig. 5, a top view, showing a modified construction of the breech-piece, the gate being raised and the hammer at less than half-cock Fig. 6, a top view, like Fig. 5, but showing a modified arrangement of the safety-bolt; Fig. 7, a top View, representing a modified arrangement of safety-bolts, two being employed instead of one-also showing a wedge-shaped slide operating between the rim of the cartridge and face of the chamber, and in position as having withdrawn the cartridge-case partially from the chamber; Figs. 8, 9, 10, and 11, respectively rear perspective view, rear elevation, front perspective view, and front eleva tion of the gate; Fig. 18,-a perspective view of the wedge-shaped slide to partially with draw the metallic case from the chamber.

Like letters indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

The main parts of the fire-arm are designated as the barrel A, the stock B, the gate G,- the hammer D, and the breech-piece E. The barrel A, the stock B, and hammer D fulfill the usual purposes indicated by their names. The gate 0 is the movable part, which opens to allow the cartridge to be inserted into the breech of the barrel or chamber, and is closed again until the discharge takes place. The breech-piece E serves to. unite the barrel and stock, and mount the gate, hammer, and

lock upon. There may be nothing essentially peculiar in the construction of the barrel A,

except the rear end a, Fig. 2; nothing in the stock B, in the hammer 1), except its face (I; nor in the breech-piece E, except in the form of the band 0, in the modifications to be described.

The cartridge G, to be used with this firearm, has a metallic case, (generally of copper,) which, by its expansion on the explosion ot' the charge, prevents any leakage of gas, and which also contains the fulminate, thus re-- quiring only a blow on the cartridge'from the hammer to explode it or fire the charge. The metallic case has an enlarged bead or rim, 9, at the rear end, which holds the i'ulminate, and. also serves to seize hold of to withdraw the case after the charge has been tired.

I prefer to make the cartridge-case slightly 'conical or tapering, to tit a corresponding shape of the rear end of the barrelbore, as shown in the drawings, so that it may be readily inserted, and, fitting closely, be more easily withdrawn after the discharge.

The gate 0 is hinged at 1), Figs. :5, 4, 6, and 7, in one side of the breech-piece E, and closes intoa notch in said breech-piece, imme diately behind the rear end of the barrel A, so as to close it for firingthe charge. A k-nob, 0, projects from the gate to handle it by.

The breech-piece is hollowed at q, Fig. 2, behind the gate-notch, to allowthe free insertion of the cartridge into the end of the barrel or chamber.

A notch, r, Figs. 8, 9, 10, and 11, is made in. the top of the gate, sufiicient to expose a small. portion of the rim of the cartridge and allow the face of the hammer to reach the same to explode the charge.

in order that the case of the exploded cartridge may be caught hold of and withdrawn by the fingers, the rear end a, Fig. 2, of the barrel A, projects somewhat into the gatenoteh of the breech-piece, and this projecting portion is beveled, notched, hollowed, or other.- wise shaped in a manner equivalent, as in Fig. 2, so that the rim of the cartridge-case may project at the. sides sufiiciently to get the fingers around the same to draw out the case.

If desired and deemed expedient, in order to provide for Withdrawing the cases of carin size and fitting the chamarranged in the gate-notch, as shown in Fig: 7, and operated, by the gate, or otherwise, to withdraw, or partially withdraw, orloosen the cartridge-case from the chamber after the discharge. This wedge may-be drawn or forced between the rim of the cartridge and face of the chamber or barrel by means of a pin, 3 projects into the gate-notch, thereby preventprojecting from "the front side of the gate" 0, entering an aperture, z, near the end of said slide in opening the gate,andwithdrawn therefromby closing the gate, or may .be operated by other mechanism, or by the fingers.

In connection with the projection of the barrel into the gate-notch of the breech-piece the ,front-faceof the gate is countersunk or hollowed, as seen at sin several-figures, (10, 11-, and 16,) so as to admit and iuclose the saidprojection together with the cartridge, the

bottom of the countersink shutting .down just behind the same.

Instead of the rear end of the barrel ex tending .into the gate-notch and beveled, .the

' band e of the breech-piece may be thus bev-.

eled,. notched, hollowed, o'r countersunk, as

shown in Figs. 5 and 6, to allow the cartridgecase to be caught hold of and withdrawn.

The rear end of the barrel is also countersunk 'suiiiciently to allow the head or rim 9 of the cartridge-case to enter just inside of the rear surface of the barrel or chamber, as seen in. Fig. -2, in order to enable the projecting lip'or part of the barrel thus formed to protect the cartridge from the closing gate, and thereby prevent any liability of premature explosion by the gate striking against the cartridge; the band e may becountersunk to perform the same oflice of protectingthe cartridge, if preferred.

The hammer D is mounted centrally in the stock, and is actuated by the mainspring Z and connecting-link m, substantially as shown in Figs. 4 and 14'; these pieces, together with the trigger and trigger-spring o, constitute the whole lock.

For the purpose of preventing the hammers descending on the cartridge when thegate is open, a safety-bolt, h, 'Figs. 2 and 4, is employed, substantially as follows: It slides in the breech-piece, behind the hinged end of the gate, the position being such that its front and bears against the rear face of the gate in whatever position the gate may be, except when fully closed, and, in the latter case, the bolt may enter an aperture, i, Figs. 8, 9, 10, and 11, in the gate. The bolt h is directly connected with the hammer D bymeans of a pin, k, projecting from the face of said hammer through a slot in the bolt, as shown at Figs. 4 and 5, or by other equivalent means, so thatthe bolt must .have a certain extent of forward motion as the hammer descends. The length and position of the bolt are such that the hammer can only partly descend before .scend upon the cartridge.

the bolt strikes the gate, and prevents the possibility of the ham mers reaching the cartridge while the gate is open or partly open. As soon as the gate is closed, the aperture i is broughtopposite to the safety-bolt, which then mayenter it, and thus allow-the hammer to de- Two bolts may be arranged as seen in Fig. 7, one bolt bearing against theface of the gate, while the other ing the gates being closed until the'hammer is at least at half-cock, thuswithdrawing the bolt. h withinnthe rear face of the gate-notch. Any arrangement of the .bolt or bolts diflerent from those described, or ,any modification thereof accomplishing the same result bythe same principle of. mechanism, is considered the equivalent thereof.

vAs a still different arrangement of the bolt, Fig. 6 represents it being placed on the side of the hammerfarthest from the hinge of the gate, so that it would not bear on the gate when fully opened. In such a case a springstop, j, may risebefore the bolt from the bottom of the gate-notch or recess as the gate is lifted away from it, and it is again pushed down as the gate" descends to replace it. In this .way the same result is arrived at by equivalent means.

In addition to the safety-bolt with its modifications to secure against the possibility of premature explosion, the hammer, even when held back by the safety-bolt, should not beat less than half-cock as the gate is finally closed otherwise, then the hammer would descend to-the cartridge at once. To provide against this, the face (1 of the hammer may be made of such length in relation to the safety-bolt that as longas at less than half-cock it will extend farther forward than the rear face of the gate when the safetybolt bears against the same, as indicated in Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6. Thus, while the hammer is in that position .of insecurity, the gate cannot be closed, and the hammer must bebrought at least to half-cock before the gate can descend; or, to prevent closing the gate when the hammer is less than half-cock, a countersink, n, as seen in Figs. 8 and 9, maybe made in the face of the gate to receive the end of the safety-bolt, the length and .motion of the safety-bolt being such that the hammer must be at least at half-cock to withdraw it from the countersink to allow the gate to close. An elongated countersink or groove,

B, Fig. 11, receiving the boltand giving limited motion hack and forth to the gate, but not permitting it to be closed until the hammer is at least to half-cock and withdrawn fi'ggll the groove, may be substituted, if desi Having thus fully described. my improve .ment in --breech-loading fire-arms, what I claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. Oonntersinking the front face of the gall so as to admit and inclose the rear projecting end of the barrel and cartridge, for the purpose specified.

2. The safety-bolt h, arranged substantially as described, for the purpose of preventing the descent of the hammer while the gate is. open;

and in combination therewith the aperture 2', or its equivalent, to allow the hammer to descend when the gate is entirely closed, sub-' stantially as specified.

3. The combined arrangement of the hammer and safety'bolt or bolts in such a manner as to prevent the closing of the gate, so long as the hammer is'less than at half-cock.

4. A wedge, M, for the purpose of starting the case of the explodedcartridge from the barrel or chamber, arranged substantially as described.

S. .W. WOOD. Witnesses: W. G. CRANOH,

O. N. PARMELEE. 

